Nominated Senator Catherine Mumma has teamed up with the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) to launch a bold campaign to tackle the “triple threat” of teenage pregnancies, new HIV infections, and gender-based violence (GBV) in Kisumu County.
The initiative, which targets secondary schools in Nyakach sub-county, aims to equip adolescents with accurate information and life skills to combat the growing threat that has left many young people vulnerable.
Kisumu County, she said, continues to register some of the highest numbers of new HIV infections among teenagers nationally, posing a big challenge in the war against the virus.
Speaking at Guu Mixed Secondary School in Nyakach during one of the sensitisation forums, Senator Mumma said the campaign was critical for reversing the alarming trends in the county.
She noted that Kisumu bears the highest HIV disease burden in the country and ranks number one in national prevalence, calling for concerted efforts to tackle the contributing factors.
“The statistics are frightening. We are not just dealing with a health crisis; this is a moral and social emergency,” she said.
Mumma attributed the rising numbers to a combination of factors, including peer pressure, poverty, and a glaring lack of sex education in schools.
“Our young girls and boys are being misled by what they see on social media because our policies still prohibit comprehensive sex education in schools. That must change,” she said.
The Senator expressed concern over increasing cases of incest and sexual abuse within families, revealing that girls as young as nine years old have been molested by relatives.
She further noted that many girls are driven into transactional sex due to period poverty, which has led to unwanted pregnancies and HIV infections.
“Our girls are suffering in silence. Some of them have been infected and impregnated simply because they could not afford sanitary towels,” she said, calling for urgent government intervention.
To address the challenge, Mumma, who distributed free sanitary pads to the girls, urged the Ministry of Education to provide them in schools across the country.
“If you want to keep girls in school, then supply them with sanitary towels just as you supply books. This is a basic need, not a luxury,” she stressed.
She also revealed that the Senate was currently reviewing legislation to strengthen laws addressing gender-based violence, citing existing loopholes that have hindered justice and accountability for survivors.
On his part, NSDCC Regional Coordinator for Nyanza and Western, Steven Oyugi, emphasised the importance of school-based engagements in confronting the triple threat head-on.
“These sessions bring the fight against HIV and GBV right to the doorstep of our most vulnerable population—young people. It is where the battle must be won,” Oyugi said.
He disclosed that Kisumu has 135,000 people living with HIV, the highest among counties, with 53,000 of them being men.
Nyakach Sub-county, he noted, ranks fourth in new infections within Kisumu, with a current HIV prevalence rate of 14 per cent.
Oyugi lauded the partnership with Senator Mumma, saying it represents a strategic step in closing gaps in awareness, access to protection, and provision of support services.
“The fight against HIV and GBV requires collective action—leaders, institutions, schools, and the community must come together to protect our young generation,” he said.
The campaign is expected to roll out across more schools in the area, with both parties reaffirming their commitment to safeguard the future of Kisumu’s children.
By Chris Mahandara
